Evaluating Your Research

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Pathfinder website: https://waynecollegelibrary.wikispaces.com/Evaluating+Your+Research

General Research Good Practice

Review your assignment:

  • Review the number and type of resources required for the assignment.
  • What level of research is expected?
  • Approach the appropriate search tools based on the requirements:
    • Do you need newspaper articles? Use a newspaper index / database like LexisNexis Academic, Newspaper Source, or Newsbank.
    • Do you need magazine articles? Use a database that includes periodical articles like Academic Search Complete or Opposing Viewpoints in Context.
    • Do you need scholarly journal articles? Use an academic periodical index and limit your results to scholarly / peer-reviewed articles (like Academic Search Complete) or use a subject-specific index, like PsycInfo, CINAHL, Education Research Complete, or Business Source Complete.
    • Do you need books? Use the library’s catalog.
    • Do you need websites? Use an Internet search engine or subject directory.

How did you access the information?

  • How you access your information may affect how you cite your sources or how easily you will be able to find the information again.
  • Be sure to print out or save all appropriate citation information and what resource you used to locate it.
  • Did you use a print resource or an electronic / online version?
  • Did you use a free resource or a subscription resource?
  • Were you able to locate the entire work of just a portion of if?
  • Is it a primary (original) or secondary (filtered, analyzed, processed, reviewed, edited) resource? Use clues in a secondary source to locate the original, primary content.

Evaluation Criteria

Availability:

  • Is the information you need available in the library, online, or through interlibrary loan?
  • Do you have enough time to request the information through interlibrary loan?
  • What will you do if you are unable to track down the information? Do you have other resources you can use?

Authority & Credibility:

  • Who is responsible for the intellectual content (is an author provided?)
  • What are the author’s credentials?
  • Does the author provide contact information?
  • Who is the publisher (an organization, university press, or publishing house)?

Purpose / Objectivity / Point of View / Bias:

  • For what purpose was the information written or provided? (to inform, explain, report research, present opinions, persuade, advertise?)
  • Who is the audience for the information provided? (Is it intended for a scholarly or popular audience?)
  • Is the information biased or presented in a balanced way?

Accuracy / Reliability:

  • Is it scholarly?
  • Is the information factually correct and reliable?
  • What are the author’s research methods?
  • Does the author provide supportive evidence (cite other research)?
  • Does the source have notes, a bibliography, or a list of references?
  • Does the information appear in a scholarly or peer-reviewed source?
  • Have other scholars cited the author’s work?
  • Is proper grammar and spelling used?
  • Are quotations attributed to named people?

Coverage:

  • Is the information relevant to the specific topic?
  • Does the source answer the major questions you have about the topic?
  • Does the source present comprehensive or selective coverage of the topic?
  • What time period is covered (recent or historical)?
  • Is the information presented regional, national, or international in scope?
  • How “unique” is the information provided? (How does the coverage compare to other sources you have found? Does is simply duplicate what you have found in other sources or does it offer new information?)

Currency / Timeliness:

  • When was the information published or produced?
  • Is the information outdated?
  • Does the topic require current information or will historical data be useful?

Appropriateness:

  • Is the source appropriate for an academic paper on the subject?
  • Does the source include the information you need?
  • Is it written at a level you can understand and that is appropriate for the intended audience of your paper or presentation?
  • Is it written in English or will you need a translation?
  • Is it too general or too specific?

Ready to Evaluate Your Sources?

Use this Source Evaluation Worksheet to document your evaluation for each source considered.

Evaluation Tips by Format


Group Exercises: Google Drive


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